Fire truck stolen from Granger man's yard

Owner worries antique vehicle will be sold as scrap.

Owner worries antique vehicle will be sold as scrap.

July 12, 2008|By DAVE STEPHENS Tribune Staff Writer

GRANGER -- Somebody stole Victor Kubitschek's fire truck. He'd like to get it back. Kubitschek, a farmer, real estate developer and collector of antique vehicles, is looking for his bright yellow-green 1957 International Harvester fire engine. On Thursday, Kubitschek reported to police that the 7- or 8-ton vehicle, which he stored in the 53000 block of Ash Road, had been stolen. Kubitschek, who uses the Ash Road property to store some of his vehicles, said he had moved the truck into the yard a few weeks ago as he worked to clean out the building. He didn't think somebody would attempt to steal it. Earlier this week, two men driving a large flatbed truck reportedly drove up to the fire engine, loaded it with a winch and drove away. A neighbor, Kubitschek said, watched the whole thing unfold. "The neighbor even went over and talked to them," Kubitschek said. "The two guys said they we're paid to clean up the yard, and that they were going to donate the truck to a fire department." Even though the truck has been missing for a few days, Kubitschek is worried that it already has been cut into scrap metal. Kubitschek estimated the truck, which still ran, had a value of about $15,000. "The old fire trucks, they put a lot of brass on them," Kubitschek said. "It probably had between 1,000 to 2,000 pounds of brass, and they can sell it to a scrap yard for $4 a pound." The fire engine isn't Kubitschek's first interaction with scrap-metal thieves. "The scrappers are stealing everything they can get their hands on," said Kubitschek, who has had everything from his farm's irrigation equipment to antique radiators stolen. Kubitschek, who has owned the fire truck for almost 20 years and has occasionally driven it in parades, said he hopes somebody sees the vehicle and calls police. Although he has no photos of the fire truck, Kubitschek said its age and color make the truck fairly distinctive. The doors, he said, have "Polk Township" written on them. Anyone who sees the fire engine or knows of its whereabouts is asked to call the St. Joseph County Police Department at (574) 235-9611. "I'd think it would be so hard to conceal," Kubitschek said. "They probably took it some place and dismantled it and are taking it piece by piece for salvage. "I hope not, but I'll probably never see it again." Staff writer Dave Stephens: dstephens@sbtinfo.com (574) 235-6209